Eat a Little Healthier This Holiday

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We are thick into the holiday season, and for most of us that includes much merry-making and celebrating. Christmas only comes around once a year, and it's the perfect time to enjoy family, friends, good health and good food.

However, sometimes we go overboard on the food splurge. The average weight gain for most people during the holidays is about one pound. Although that might not sound like much, most of us never lose that one pound. Studies show that the average weight gain for most people per year is two pounds, which breaks down to about 20 pounds per decade. So holiday weight gain (if you gain that one pound and never lose it) can be blamed for half of the weight that most people gain as they get older.

Recently, The Today Show aired some handy tips on ways to avoid holiday weight gain. These tips include watching your alcohol intake, planning your indulgences before you eat them (they call these "conscious indulgences") so that you can control your portion size, making sure to fill up first on protein-heavy hors d'oeuvres like shrimp cocktail or chicken skewers when you are at a party, and having a "safe" comfort food (like a small piece of chocolate and a couple of teaspoons of peanut butter) ready to go. Studies show that cutting back by as little as 100 calories a day can help prevent holiday weight gain, so every time you moderate your intake by just a little bit you will be doing yourself some good.

Karen Massey, who is a registered licensed dietitian at INTEGRIS, agrees that little changes to your calorie intake can make a difference this time of year. Whether you are hosting a holiday dinner or bringing a few dishes to share, you can make your recipes healthier with less fat, sugar and calories.

"There are little things we can do to sneak out some calories without really altering the menu or anyone being the wiser. As a general rule of thumb, for a lot of recipes -- casseroles, soups, stews, and the like -- you can cut out about a third of the fat or sugar," she says.

“For example, if your cranberry recipe calls for a cup of sugar, you can probably get away with using only 2/3 cup and no one will be the wiser. If one of your casserole dishes, maybe stuffing, has you sautéing the onions in four tablespoons of butter, it is easy to just use two or three tablespoons instead, or perhaps just steam the onions in broth, to save a lot of calories that will never be noticed in the final product.”

However, she cautions that fat and sugar calories can’t be cut in all recipes. For foods like fine pastries, pie crust and cookies, the amount of fat and sugar can’t be manipulated because the product won’t be tender and flaky. “For those things I would just advise you to enjoy them as they are and really celebrate that holidays are special occasions. And sometimes it’s best just to give ourselves permission to enjoy one slice of pecan pie after the meal with everyone else, and just set out with that goal in mind, to realize that one day is not going to undermine our nutrition,” she says.

Other suggestions for lightening up your holiday cooking include:

Using fat-free chicken broth to baste the turkey and make gravy.

Using sugar substitutes in place of sugar and fruit purees instead of oil in baked goods.

To inspire you to try and eat a little healthier this holiday season, check out these healthy recipes.

Pumpkin-Cranberry Gift Loaves

Ingredients

1 29-ounce can pure pumpkin (about 1-3/4 cups)

1-1/4 cups sugar

3 egg substitutes

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1-1/2 teaspoons nutmeg

2-1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

2 cups fresh cranberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray six baby loaf pans (about 6 inches long) with cooking spray. In a large bowl, use a whisk to combine pumpkin, sugar, eggs, and vegetable oil. Add dry ingredients, stirring until everything is combined. Stir in nuts and cranberries. Bake at 325°F for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

This is a very moist quick bread. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove to rack and let cool completely before wrapping.

Serves four

Apple Coffee Cake

While most cake recipes are less than healthy, the following recipe is so low in calories and fat that you can make your cake and eat it too. This cake gets its moistness from the apples and raisins, so it requires little oil.

Brussels Sprouts with Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients

Directions

Trim Brussels sprouts and cut in half. Steam until tender—about six to 10 minutes, or microwave on high for three to four minutes. Bring the broth to a boil in a nonstick pot. Mix in the lemon juice, mustard, and thyme. Add the mushrooms. Boil until the broth is reduced by half, about five to eight minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts. Toss well to coat with the sauce.

Serves 20

Mushroom Crab Appetizer

Ingredients

8 oz. fresh mushrooms

8 oz. lump crabmeat

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 cup minced onions

1 tbsp. skim milk

4 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese (Neuchâtel), softened

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Brush mushrooms to remove any soil that may be clinging to them. Rinse under cool water and drain. Trim stems and chop finely. Rinse crabmeat and pick over to make sure there are no shells or cartilage.

Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add mushrooms and onions. Cook until mushrooms give up moisture and onions are translucent. Add milk and cream cheese and stir until creamy.

Options: Garnish with chopped red pepper for extra color or a shot of Tabasco for spiciness.

Roasted Winter Squash Soup

Ingredients

2 or 3 butternut, acorn, or Hubbard squash

2 garlic cloves

A few sprigs fresh thyme

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 yellow onions

1/2 cup white wine

8 cups vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup cider vinegar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash in half, remove seeds, and roast cut-side-down with garlic and thyme inside. Roast about 60 minutes or until soft. Scoop out flesh and set aside, along with the garlic and thyme. Add butter to a pan set over medium-high heat; add onions and roasted garlic and saute until soft. Add scooped squash to pan and stir, then add wine to deglaze. Reduce heat slightly and add broth and bay leaf, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf and puree in a food processor; season with salt and pepper and cider vinegar to taste. Serve immediately.